


Home is Where We Always Tend to Go

by Mirror_Face



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Another Episode
Genre: All Warnings Inside, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Gen, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Kind of a downer, One Shot, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23584717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirror_Face/pseuds/Mirror_Face
Summary: Because if the world hadn’t ended, theirs wouldn’t have begun.Or how The Warriors of Hope tried to escape the terrible, peaceful world.(A non-despair AU)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 47





	Home is Where We Always Tend to Go

**Author's Note:**

> So, uh, warnings. Since this is a one shot focused on the Warriors of Hope and pointing out the horrifying implications of a 'non-despair' au, there's some, uh, some serious stuff here. (things that, mind you, I'm not qualified to write about)
> 
> In all honesty, it's what you would expect from an Another Episode fanfiction. It has self harm, a suicide attempt, child abuse, self hatred, child sexual abuse. I think that's it, but, if you're sensitive to such topics then I recommend you don't read. There's nothing graphic though, my artsy writing style and docile nature would never allow me to write such a thing. There are implications though. A lot.

They stood (or sat, in Monaca's case) on the rooftop, peering over the edge. Underneath the building was an expanse of concrete, hard, rocky, and coarse. They probably wouldn’t survive (not that any of them wanted to).

“This is the only way, right Monaca?”

“Yeah… Monaca's right. Monaca always is.”

“Of course.”

And yet, even after Monaca's reassurance that there really was no other escape, the children still just stared down, hesitating in silence.

“D-do you think my dad’ll miss me?” Masaru choked out, not seeming to really be looking at anything.

Kotoko slapped Masaru’s back a few times and gave a strained smile, “Probably not. In fact, I bet that my parents are the only one’s that’ll miss me, if only for the wrong reasons.”

“Eh? But what would be considered the ‘right reasons’?” Jataro inquired, scratching what seemed to be the beginnings of a rash on his neck, “Why won’t she miss hating me? Is that not a good reason to miss me? Or-”

“Shut up, Jataro.” Masuru muttered, and once again there was just silence.

A moment later, Nagisa, growing impatient and nervous, finally snapped. “Well, are we going to do it or what?”

“Jeez, it’s like you want us to die…”

“I-it’s not that, Masaru, and you know it. But, well, we can’t just stand her all day, and… and I don’t want to go back. Not today… not  _ ever _ .”

“I know we shouldn’t doubt Monaca, but do we really have to die? The idea of it makes me go all queasy inside…”

Everyone, including Monaca turned to look at Jataro, who shook in place and played with his loose sleeves. Monaca tilted her head in questioning, “You’re doubting Monaca?”

  
  


“Oh no… I could never doubt Monaca, sorry for making you think I did. I could never… Do you all hate me now…?”

“Monaca knows what she’s talking about, there’s no other way out of this situation. I would rather be dead than let my parents continue to use me.”

Kotoko slowly started to nod her head, “I think I agree, I don’t even want to be near  _ them  _ anymore. And, I don’t think we really have a choice anymore.”

Masaru stomped his feet in frustration and yelled out angrily, “Ugh! I hate not having choices! Why can’t I choose what I want to do? Why do I have to be forced into these types of situations?”

“Hey Masaru, stop being selfish! You’re not the only one in this hard situation! It’s not like I want to die either!”

“Shut up, Kotoko!”

“Monaca thinks that you’re all doubting her.” Monaca pouted.

“N-no, don’t worry Monaca, we’re not. Just… considering all of our options.”

“And Monaca told you, there are no other options! Monaca’s telling you that there’s nowhere else to go!” 

And she was right, there was nowhere left. They could never be free, not while chained to the duty of being a child, not while stuck with demons that sucked and chewed on their life forces until they had lost any faith that they could muster. The only way out was death.

That was the truth. The only way out of the abusive world that they had to be born in. The only true path led down.

Nagisa took a shuddering breath, and tried to lead the others forward like the leader he wasn’t (and would never be). “We shouldn’t just be waiting around, someone will catch us. Let’s… get this over with.”

“I wonder what death is like… Will we splat on the ground like swatted flies? Or maybe our heads will crack open, all our brains just pouring out…”

“I once heard that our brains are made 70% out of water! Isn’t that gross?”

Masaru spoke up again, “C’mon guys, stop getting distracted, are we gonna do this or what?”

“Says you, Masaru. Last time I checked, you were super scared!”

“I’m not scared!”

“Kotoko, stop trying to distract us.”

“I-I’m not!”

“Oh, are you scared, Kotoko? Well, you are a girl after all.”

“I’m not scared, just nervous… I can’t be anymore scared of death than of home, so…”

“Monaca thinks that we should do it now.”

They all turned to face Monaca, seeing the seriousness in her eyes. They all nodded, though somewhat hesitant. The Warriors of Hope couldn’t get distracted again. They may lose their only chance.

And so, they leaned forward a little, holding hands- not speaking. Then, they jumped (or, in Monaca’s case, fell forward). It wasn’t particularly monumentous, their fall, the whole thing was actually rather short. And fast.

It really was easy for people to die.

(and so, five children jumped that day- unified in their suffering- all because Junko Enoshima never bothered to end the world)

* * *

Jataro had wailed when he’d woken up in the hospital without his precious mask on.

Masaru had to be restrained after he’d started pummeling one of his arms in frustration.

Kotoko had panicked and tried to run away once she’d realised that she was surrounded, before realising that her leg was broken.

Nagisa had refused to speak.

And Monaca had cried her eyes out, her wants not requited by the world. 

  
  
  


They had failed. It was as simple as that. They had failed to do the most simplest of things, die. The only thing they had ever wanted.

The children had many different broken bones. The doctors had said that they were incredibly lucky that the damage was so small.

(The doctors said the fall was too short.

If only the Warriors of Hope had known…)

There was immediate suspicion of their parents after their attempt, although it was also argued that the children could’ve just been imitating something they saw online. Either way, there was an investigation (an investigation meant just to set up hopes only for barely mended hearts to shatter and fall back into despair).

It made them excited, as they sat (all lonely) in their hospital beds. Maybe they would be set free.

However, the investigation was quite fruitless. 

Masaru’s father was fined for domestic abuse, and he was taken away from the abusive man’s clutches. (and yet, Masaru felt his heart knot and knot many times over- just thinking about how much of a coward this made him. He would rather kill his father than get taken away. Was that so wrong?)

Jataro was also taken out of his mother’s hold, due to clear physiological damage and abuse. (a part of him couldn’t help but wonder how his lack of mother would stop people from hating his hideous face.) 

Nagisa’s father seemed like such a nice man, very smart and ambitious.

Kotoko’s parents seemed to really care about her path in life. They were very proud of her.

And no one dared to touch the Towas.

Despite the fact that Masaru and Jataro were being taken away, it was almost impossible to be happy. They were still going to be in the clutches of the adults, those terrible demons that seemed unable to do anything good. But this time, they wouldn’t all be together- in such a despairing world that refused to let them die in peace.

(they just wanted to be happy)

And so, the doctors didn’t notice the tears pricking Kotoko’s eyes as her parents dragged her to the car. They didn’t question why Nagisa’s eyes were so dull with defeat as he followed his father out of hospital. And no one dared to wonder about the sharp glares sent to Monaca by her brother as he shoved her out the door. They could barely stop Jataro from scratching his eyes out and Masaru from breaking his wrist.

There really was no way to understand.

* * *

And so, life continued on. As dreadfully normal as anything could be.

(Kotoko’s parents continued to tell her that everything was okay, that they were nice men. That they would try to be gentle. They never once stopped telling her such lies, and she could never do anything while frozen in fear.

Nagisa was still forced to study study study study until he passed out, then back to more studying. He couldn’t argue when faced with the disappointed faces of his parents.

Jataro, no matter how many people said he was fine, never looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn’t. Because he knew that he would always be an ugly monster.

Masaru couldn’t help but hit himself sometimes. It was discipline, wasn’t it? If he wasn’t acting the right way, then a bruise or two would get him back into shape. It made perfect sense.

Nobody talked to Monaca.)

They just wanted to be happy.

And yet life still went on.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, for something so short, this was exhausting to write. Would anyone believe me if I were to say that the current title was my third option, and that this is the fifth rewrite? Probably, considering how messy this all is.
> 
> Also, writing the banter at the beginning was more fun than it should've been, considering the implications of what that scene was.


End file.
